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>Born in August 1862 in Leicester
>His condition did not develop until he was five years old
>Following years in a Leicester workhouse, he contacted a showman who set him up as a travelling exhibit in 1884
>After being robbed and abandoned he went to London in June 1886 and contacted doctor Frederick Treves, who found him a room at the London Hospital
>His head measured 36 inches (91cm), his right wrist 12 inches (30cm) and one of his fingers 5 inches (13cm) in circumference
>He died on 11 April 1890, aged 27, asphyxiated by the weight of his own head, apparently after trying to lie down
>The cause of his condition is still uncertain but many researchers favour Proteus syndrome, a rare genetic disorder
>His story has inspired a number of books, an award-winning play and a film starring John Hurt
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